Bishop Sankey | Running Back

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Sankey is the first running back off the board. The No. 54 pick is the latest the draft's first runner has ever been selected. Sankey (5-foot-9 1/2, 209) turned pro as a third-year junior after rushing for 3,496 yards and 37 TDs on 644 carries (5.43 YPC), adding 65 career catches. He broke Corey Dillon's school record for single-season rushing yards (1,870) in 2013, and ran 4.49 at the Combine, impressing with a 10-foot-6 broad jump and outstanding times in the short shuttle (4.00) and three-cone drill (6.75). Sankey's measurables don't show up consistently on film, however, where his burst, tackle breaking and vision underwhelm. Perhaps an NFL conditioning program and position coach can maximize his t-shirt-and-shorts athleticism. Ultimately, we see him as a poor man's Gio Bernard. He'll try to strike lightning next to Shonn Greene's plodding thunder. Fri, May 9, 2014 08:48:00 PM

"He's got a little bit of Emmitt Smith in him," said one scout. "He's like a poor man's Emmitt Smith. He can run everywhere. He's just not a real burner. But he's got quickness and vision, and he's a hell of a kid. He's tougher than (expletive)." Interestingly, more than one scout made the Smith comparison, with another stating: "He's not as strong as Emmitt but looks the way Emmitt looked when he came to the Cowboys. I just don't think he will be big enough to take the every-day pounding." Sankey broke Corey Dillon's school record with 1,870 rushing yards last year. "He's pretty damn good," said a third scout. "He's not dynamic but the kid's got great feel and is quick as hell. Real similar to Giovani Bernard." Sun, May 4, 2014 09:17:00 PM

Seastrunk and Carey are often lumped together using this logic, but some scouts think Sankey transcends being summarily pigeonholed. For instance, NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock ranked Sankey as his top RB earlier this month, and last week NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah made a comparison between his running style and Doug Martin's. "If you're going to run as your foundation offense, a three-wide, one-back spread-type offense, then you can play I believe with the Lache Seastrunks, maybe a Bishop Sankey, maybe a Ka'Deem Carey," said Cosell. "If you're going to line up with you know, 12 personnel, one back, two tight ends, or two backs and one tight end, I'm not sure those guys can do that for you on a consistent basis." At the NFL Combine, Sankey posted a 4.49 forty, 26 bench press reps, a 35.5 inch vertical and a 126 inch broad jump. Wed, Mar 26, 2014 11:58:00 PM

Sankey has "quick feet" and is "elusive in tight quarters," per Jeremiah. Rotoworld's Josh Norris thinks Martin was more physical than Sankey and could be first contact more frequently, but there are a group of evaluators that list Sankey near the top among prospects at his position, including Mike Mayock. Mon, Mar 17, 2014 10:37:00 AM